The subject invention is directed to the connector art and, more particularly, to a connector system that finds particular application in automobiles to provide a connection between a support member such as a car body part of a motor vehicle and a plate element such as interior trim covering components. The connector includes a substantially rectangular plate member having at least one pocket including an insertion slot that is adapted to receive a flange mounted on the end of an associated elongate holding element. The plate member and holding element are brought together into their intermated position by moving the components together in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction or axis of the holding element, so that the flange and end of the holding element are received in the pocket of the plate member.
Connectors of the type under consideration are commonly used in the art to connect interior trim and other items to car body parts of motor vehicles. As an example, a connector is described in EP 0 726 401 A1 including an upper part or member having two parallel extending pockets adapted to receive a pair of holding element flanges positioned an axial distance from each other on an elongate holding element. In that connector, the upper flange of the pair of flanges carried on the elongate holding element has an elastic middle region which is equipped with a set of spirally wound radially extending arms.
The connector described above provides good tolerance compensation that is useful in the automotive sector for attaching, as an example, door coverings on the inside of automotive vehicles which are exposed to a range of temperature stresses and the like. However, in known connector constructions of the type described above, one drawback is the physical size of the overall connector that is required. The excessive size is due mainly to the pair of parallel extending pockets which are adapted to receive the two flanges. The relatively large construction of connectors of this type often make them limited in application.
Another connector known in the art enables auxiliary components to be fastened relative to a work piece. Such a connector is described in EP 0 432 855 A1. As described there, a substantially flat work piece is provided with a punched-in or pocket-like bulged-out surface adapted to receive a second component. Typically, the second component is inserted into the flat work piece.
One disadvantage of connectors of this type is that the holding effect or efficiency is relatively low and thus, the second component can sometimes be easily removed from the flat work piece. Moreover, connectors of the type described immediately above provide no tolerance compensation.
In contrast to the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive connector system or assembly, while retaining excellent installation possibility and extremely good tolerance compensation, results in a significant reduction in the overall height of the entire connection.